Memory Walk

Memory Walk

by

Susan Price

I must share with you an amazing quilt that my friend, Susan, created in memory of her mother who passed away last year as a result of alzheimers. It brought tears to my eyes. I asked Susan what her inspiration was in creating Memory Walk....and she had this to say:

The inspiration for this quilt came from having gone to Houston, where I had taken two classes with Hollis Chantelain. Her quilts make statements and are very very powerful, but she deals with things like hunger or lack of drinking water in Africa.

So when I got home, I got to thinking about how I could use my quilts for something other than just creating a beautiful piece of quilting and remembered this particular image of mom and Bill (boyfriend of Susan's mom) that had been taken about two months before they both passed away. As I looked at the photo closer, I saw the hidden messages like the exit sign above their heads and then the door in the background that is actually a door to mom's room but reads as "the exit". I realized that this could make a very powerful statement about Alzheimer's. Having been an avid fund-raiser for the Alzheimer's Association in past years, I know they are always looking for other ways to help with Alzheimer's Awareness. It is Susan's hope that this quilt will be a "traveling" quilt, traveling around California increasing peoples awareness about Alzheimer's.

Susan has such a big and caring heart, she has put together a Moving Forward Cruise to help people who have experienced a loss in their life. I have had the pleasure of participating in one of Susan's cruises (not the Moving Forward Cruise) and can attest to Susan's ability to put together a memorable experience for all with every little detail taken care of. I invite you to visit Susan's website to find out about the details of this healing cruise.

Bravo, Susan!

Diana

A Little Slice of Heaven

My Idea of Heaven

I invite you to a little taste of my wonderful day on Monday. One of my most favorite friends and I spent the day in the charming seaside village of Cambria on the Central Coast of California. We started out our day with a scrumptious lunch as we dined in the gardens of Robin's Restaurant and indulged ourselves with this yummy carrot cake. It was so, so good with the mango, passion fruit herbal iced tea.

We then, of course, went shopping in a few of our favorite shops. One of them being Birds of a Feather owned by Bonnie Crawford. Bonnie features local mixed media artists' creations and antique goodies. While there, we had a very serendipitous meeting with a good friend, Dorothy. A few items found there way into my bag. The sweet felted and hand-embroidered bag is by a mixed media artist friend of mine, Cindy Farris. You may have seen some of Cindy's birdie bags in Stampington's Haute Handbag publication. I love this one with all of my colors. I also found an antique vespa case from Britain, a bar of my favorite honey, French milled soap, and an antique sterling silver bee bracelet....that will soon make its way into a few pieces of my artwork....yes, Riki you can have one!!

Well, after the indulgent carrot cake, Susan and I took a fabulous walk along the boardwalk there along Moonstone Beach. As you can see, the day was beautiful, the colors outrageous and that along with all of the wildlife I didn't manage to capture on camera and the company of a dear friend..my day in Cambria was a Little Slice of Heaven. Here's wishing that you all find time for creating your little slices of heaven.

(Robin's Restaurant in Cambria)

The falling Waters led me,

The Foodful waters fed me,

And brought me to the lowest land,

(me, Dorothy, and dear friend, Susan)

Unerring to the Ocean sand,

The Moss upon the forest bark,

Was pole-star when the night was dark;

The purple berries in the wood

Supplied me necessary food.

(Bonnie giving me my package at Birds of a Feather)

For Nature ever faithful is

To such as trust her faithfulness.

When the Forest shall mislead me,

When the night and morning lie,

When Sea and land refuse to feed me,

'Twill be time enough to die;

Then will yet my mother yield

A pillow in her greenest field,

Nor the June flowers scorn to cover

The clay of their departed lover.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

(Can you see the amazing pelicans at the top of this photo?...they were the grande finale of our walk.... Mother Nature bearing gifts!)

If ever there were a spring day so perfect, so

uplifted by a warm intermittent breeze.

~Billy Collins

Tootles

Diana

Pot of Gold

CHARMING ROMANCE

I had the pleasure of spending this last weekend with nine wonderful ladies as Riki Schumacher and I taught our Charming Romance class here on the supposedly sunny California coast. Shame on me...I forgot my camera each day and don't have any pictures to show you of the radiant faces of the wonderful people who came to play with us. Each person brought with them their gifts of enthusiasm, creativity, and eagerness to learn.

Despite 53 mph gale force winds, horizontal rain, hail and the electricity being out for most of the afternoon on Sunday, everyone seemed to have a grand time. Everyone was so focused on their projects that when the power went out, no one seemed to be bothered and just kept on working in the dim light. This was an amazing group of ladies, I must say...I enjoyed them so much. Beautiful PMC charms were created, brass etched, and rivets, eyelets and mini hardware set into place.

After everyone had gone on Sunday, Riki and I relaxed over a glass of wine in the warm glow of candlelight and talked about the weekend's events. We both agreed how very special the last two days had been despite the storm and the challenges it brought. And as we were toasting to the personal joys of teaching and sharing our lives with like-minded artful souls, a double rainbow appeared outside our window which reminded us of how our lives are blessed with "pots of gold".

Thank you all who chose to spend the weekend with us. I hope that you left class feeling enrichened by the new friendships made and new techniques learned. Hopefully you will join us once again.

Tootles

Diana

Resurrection

HAPPY EASTER!

To me Easter symbolizes HOPE, REBIRTH and RENEWAL. Easter memories of years gone by are filled with new dresses and hats to wear to church, bad hair days, coloring eggs, hiding eggs, hunting eggs, eating eggs, the smell of Easter Lilies and hyacinths, ham dinner, lemon pie, chocolate Easter bunnies, bunnies, PEEPS, jelly beans, family, promise, and the eternal message of HOPE and LOVE.

May your Easter celebration be filled with love and the hope of new beginnings.

Hugs

Diana